'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers ever to grace the beautiful game. The Portuguese superstar rose from humble beginnings and a tough background to become arguably the best footballer of all time. Now at Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo has helped to revolutionize football in his own way.
Cristiano Ronaldo holds a great number of records in football today
The 36-year-old is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner and two-time FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year. Cristiano Ronaldo is the man with the most appearances and most goals in the history of the UEFA Champions League, winning the competition five times.
Portugal's captain since 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo led his country to glory in Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League. The forward is also the record goalscorer in men's international football.
Many managers, ex-footballers and analysts have referred to Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest footballer ever. On that note, here are five of his rival managers who have publicly praised him in the past:
#5 Ernesto Valverde
Former FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde is one of the most respected managers to come out of Spain in recent years.
In the 2018-19 season, Valverde led FC Barcelona to their most recent league title. He also ended Athletic Bilbao's 31-year wait for a trophy in 2015 when his side defeated Barcelona in the Supercopa De España.
Valverde has faced Cristiano Ronaldo many times in Spain with both Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona. His first match for Barcelona came in the Supercopa against Real Madrid, when Cristiano Ronaldo scored to propel Los Blancos to the trophy.
Valverde is a manager with huge respect for Cristiano Ronaldo following his achievements in football. The Spanish manager acknowledged the danger posed by Ronaldo in a press conference during his time as Athletic Bilbao manager:
"He could score three or four goals in every game. It’s normal the season has low points, he’s always hungry to score…I don’t see many ups and downs."
“Those who are closer can have another opinion but when we face him there’s always danger in every play.”
#4 Mauricio Pochettino
Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino is one of the most envied managers in world football due to his position as PSG manager. He has been linked with the Manchester United job in recent days in a move that will see him team up with Cristiano Ronaldo, a player he admires greatly.
Pochettino led his Tottenham Hotspur team to two matches against a Real Madrid side that contained Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League. Ronaldo scored in both legs of the group stage encounter as Real Madrid lost one and drew the other match.
Before their meeting in 2017, Pochettino spoke to the media about Ronaldo's professionalism and quality."
"He’s a phenomenon.
“He has been awarded ‘The Best’ and the truth is that he deserves it.
“In addition to his qualities as a professional, he is an example."
#3 Diego Simeone
No manager has been tormented by Cristiano Ronaldo like Diego Simeone. The Atletico Madrid manager is one of the most unlucky managers in the world as he had to face Cristiano Ronaldo on the biggest stage too many times.
Simeone has seen his Atletico Madrid side concede four hat-tricks to Cristiano Ronaldo alone, with the Portuguese great scoring 17 times against them. Ronaldo scored against Atletico in the 2013-14 Champions League final and also scored the winning penalty in the shootout in the 2015-16 season.
Ronaldo's last goals against Simeone's side were in the 2018-19 season for Juventus, where he scored a second leg hat-trick to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg.
Simeone has been vocal in his praise for Ronaldo, referring to him as one of the most decisive players in history in an interview with Marca:
"What I consider is that in a team with fewer solutions, Ronaldo is a better fit because he provides many solutions.
"We are talking about very fine margins of how a team plays. Cristiano can decide a game in a different way, he doesn't need ten attacks. He scored two headers against us and we were out."
#2 Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is another top manager who is a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo. The German tactician has faced the Portuguese great with both his Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool teams in the UEFA Champions League and Premier League respectively.
Klopp oversaw a semi-final win for Borussia Dortmund in 2013 courtesy of a four-goal haul by Robert Lewandowski against Real Madrid. He also saw his Liverpool side lose the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League final to Cristiano Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team-mates in the Portuguese's final match for Los Blancos.
Klopp has referred to Cristiano Ronaldo as the perfect footballing specimen when speaking to German YouTube channel Freekickerz.
"If you could paint yourself a perfect player, it would have Ronaldo's height, he could jump and run as high or quick as Ronaldo can do.
"What is then even added to that is his total attitude - it is perfect and professional, it couldn't be any better."
#1 Pep Guardiola
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has faced Cristiano Ronaldo at all of the clubs he has managed in his managerial career. The Spanish manager is widely regarded as the best manager of this generation, and has won trophies everywhere he worked.
His Barcelona side beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final to claim his first European crown. Ronaldo exacted a measure of revenge by thwarting the Spaniard repeatedly with Real Madrid against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Guardiola praised the forward for his goalscoring exploits in an interview before this season's Manchester derby.
"He will score goals all his life, he will be 75 years old, maybe retired, but he would be at his own barbecue playing a game and he'll score goals.
"Guys like [Lionel] Messi, like him, what they have done in the last decade in world football, scoring goals and goals and goals and helping their team win, speaks for itself."
